Guwahati molestation: News Live editor quits

Guwahati: The molestation of a teenage girl in Assam which outraged and shocked the entire nation has seen many a heads roll in the past few days. The latest casualty of the horrific incident is Atanu Bhuyan, the Editor-in-Chief of News Live, the channel whose reporter had shot the footage of the whole act. He quit on Tuesday afternoon as a result of massive public outcry.

Atanu Bhuyan had tweeted earlier that he would quit today. "I am going to resign from News Live at 1 pm," he had said.

Later, addressing a press conference at the Guwahati Press Club, Atanu Bhuyan said he was surprised at Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi`s comment yesterday criticising journalist Gaurav Jyoti Neog for not informing the police.

"After Gogoi`s comment, Neog was picked up by the police and interrogated for four hours before being released. We fear the enquiry will not be impartial as the police may be influenced by Gogoi`s comment," he said.

Bhuyan said he also came to now from "various sources" that the chief minister had wished that he (Bhuyan) should resign.

"Such comments may put a pressure on the management of the channel, which is still supporting me, and it in turn may pressurise me in the future. Therefore, to avoid such a situation I have decided to resign."

Bhuyan pointed out that he was not resigning on "grounds of moral responsibility" and stood by his reporter who did his job.

Defending Neog, he said, "It was only because of the footage recorded by him that 12 of the culprits have been arrested."

Neog has already resigned from the organisation on July 15 following allegations by RTI activist Akhil Gogoi that he had instigated the molestation on July nine.

The molestation incident occurred on July 10 (Monday night) in front of a bar on the Guwahati-Shillong Road, which led to a public outcry after a video of the shocking incident was uploaded on YouTube.

The girl along with a friend had gone to a bar located to attend a birthday party. However, she entered into a brawl with her friend, following which a group of men took advantage of the situation and molested her.